Lonely Gunner
by jazminewriter
Summary: A return back to Tin Town is not so bad, that is, if you are ambushed by your enemies. Leaving Goth Boy exposed to his death, would he cut his thread short for once, or fight for what he truly cares about? Inspired by a dogfight I had while playing Skyheroes.


I was just returning back to Tin Town, my hometown to be precise. It was the only place where I was safe from all the bullies, from the dark premises of darkness of that town I live in. Yes, I miss that former town where the House of Darkness was set up, but I had to return home for a reason. So did Raven Wright. She and I went back there because something important turned up. I thought my mom needed medical attention, and that I should just watch over her. Or maybe a mine blew up and that I was needed to find survivors.

How Raven and I got back was by plane. Yes, by plane. Even though the war between Alejandro and Morcucorp was over, that didn't mean I can't stop flying. "Wait," I told myself, looking behind my back, "wasn't Raven following me just a minute ago?" I flew back to her "used-to-be" location and looked around. Her plane crashed with no reason towards why, so I got out of mine and checked to see if Raven was stuck in the rubble. I was able to flip her plane back on its wheels, but I don't see Raven at all. I thought she was just playing tricks on me, so I just got back in my aircraft and started flying towards the town.

The Western view of the town brought back memories...meeting Alejandro when he was part of the SkyForce...escaping and beating Morcucorp goonies...the list is endless. I took a deep breath of that old, misty air, savoring that long-lost scent of dust and coal. Man, it feels great to be back. Once I'm done with this errand, I'll be in my mom's basement writing more poems about this place.

But that wasn't going to come around easy.

"Hey, it's a Sceptre. Looks like he got our message." Raphael spoke, seeing Goth Boy hover over the town. "I guess he doesn't realize what has happened to his foolish friends. He's too focused on his bleak world that his mind put him in."

"Don't underestimate him, okay? He may not flown a plane in a long time, but that does not mean he's still good at it!" Rose mentioned, keeping her eye on a bomb shelter. "I don't know how long those two can last in there, so let's hope we get this punk locked up with his friends."

Svetlana was preparing all the planes, along with an Morcubot. "Well, what are waiting for? Let's shoot him down, and quick!" She barked, immediately taking off to the skies. The other two Chaos Pirates shrugged and took off with Svetlana and the robot next to them. "Let's see who's the weak one here." She told herself, keeping her eyes on the radar. "Remember, Morcubus wants the Sceptre Squadron ALIVE, so make sure you don't kill that Gothic punk!"

As I was about to land, my radar started to show four, red beeping dots. Enemies, here? I thought this was nothing but a favor, not a fight. Once I looked up, a missile was heading my way. I quickly made a barrel roll to escape. I turned on my radio and started sending out a message to the other planes flying around the area. "Hey, is anyone out there!? I'm not looking for a fight!"

The only response I got was just a menacing voice, one that I remember to be Rapahael, one of the Chaos Pirates. "Well, what if I told you we pirates sent you that message to get your ass over here?" I was shocked; what's going on here!?

"What have you done to Carl and Raven!? Tell me, right now!" I can't stop myself from shouting. I'm far too mad to even control my temper. "What did you do to them!? I demand you tell me!"

"What was that, Goth Boy? I'm breaking up by my machine gun shooting you down!" Rose laughed under her breath as she started to approach me, literally shooting me with a machine gun. I turned around to make a quick escape, but only to get a missile shot at the plane's tail. "Oops, Raphael, was that you doing that?" She turned to see Raphael chuckling.

"Maybe...?" They started to laugh at me, making me feel disgusted. "What's wrong, wimp!? Can't fight alone!? Are you going to run back to your mommy and cry!?" Everyone started laughing, even that robot. Raphael came up closer to me, his smug look on his face. "Say, want us to kill you here?"

"...What?" Wait, were they offering my death? "...All I have to do is just say yes?" Raphael nodded. I thought hard...deep...and I can't decide. I tried suicide many a times, but none were successful. If it weren't for my mom, she could just lose her-

Wait...my mom... She was hoping that I could come around and visit her again when I got the time to. She was always there for me, despite being an emo son. The last time I tried killing myself, she told me this: "If you think like is useless, what does that leave me? What do you turn to when you need someone to cry with, or to laugh or smile or become angry at? Isn't friends and family one of those things that mattered?"

I can still remember that...my neck tied to a noose...my feet about to step off my bed. Picturing my hanging body would be beautiful, but my mom pictured something different: holding my body minutes after my neck snaps, losing my breath. I forgot about her lessons all this time. My friends were always there for me, and my mom was my only family.

I am going to return the favor for everyone...and for myself.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Say that you want to be killed! RIGHT NOW!" He was about to press the button, I launched one of my own missiles directly at him. "Hey, what are you doing!?"

"Perhaps asking someone else that question!" I ran on hot pursuit on that goon, my machine gun hitting him. "If you want me killed, then you can do that as we have this dogfight!" About time, I managed to shoot him down out of the sky. Rose took first notice and she tried to chase after me.

That Morcubot followed her, and now I have two jerks with their machine guns getting overheated. "Come on, get kicked out already!" Rose shouted at me. Forgetting where I was going, I quickly remembered everything about the town and I instantly recalled some "secrets" about the town. As they were shooting me, I quickly escaped, using the protruding beams of metal and fled into the caves. "Hey, where did he go!?" I can hear Rose's echoes spread out into the cave. My transmitter is still connected, so I told her something.

"I'm FROM Tin Town, Rose. You know what that means," she already knew what I meant, "I know almost everything there is to know about this place. And that includes all the tunnels and railroad tracks!" I can see the back of Rose's plane facing me, so I take the chance to shoot her out of the sky. Smoke started to trail from her crash site, and I never felt so proud. That leaves the Morcubot and Svetlana. Going back into the tunnel, I decide to use the different passageways to locate the remaining two. Turns out that the Morcubot was in visible view already. My machine gun was good enough to shoot it away towards the outskirts of town. That just leaves Svetlana. Going back into the tunnel, I decide to plan an ambush on her, hoping that she does not expect anything tricky from me.

I finally see her in front of me, but she didn't look that afraid. She only flew past me, exiting out of the tunnels. I'm about to hit the sunlight when something broke the sun rays: orbital strikes. Those enormous, pink lasers took me out in one shot. I found myself crashing, but I only glanced back at the monitor. All systems are fine; why am I crashing when everything is okay? Then it hit me; my plane can still be left afloat! I pulled up my plane, just seconds away from crashing into the rocky walls. I check back on her; I don't see her anywhere. My guess she gave up. I decide to do one thing: fly back to my old house. With a big smile on my face, I can finally see my mom's place in front of me. The whitewash painted bricks, small garden, and a windmill was in front of me.

"...This surely brings back memories." I land the plane away close by to the house, just probably three yards away. As I was going to walk up to the door, I see Svetlana coming towards me! I rush back to the plane, only to get my left arm shot by the machine gun. I screamed in pain, clutching my arm in agony. She lands her plane next to mine, jumps out, and grips my bangs to the point both of my eyes were staring at her.

"This place surely changed you, Goth Boy. What about," she sticks a gun close to my head, and I can feel the metal touch my skin, "I just kill you in front of the house that raised you to becoming the same, emo, suicidal kid you always are?" Her finger was ready to pull the trigger, and I closed my eyes. There's no avoiding this, is there?

Strangely, we heard a door slam open, and that was coming from my house. My mom was standing at the door, her tall figure walking out. She was dressed in a summer, country dress, and her red wavy hair bounced with each step she took. She walked up to Svetlana and tapped her shoulder. "Maybe you can leave my son alone and just fly off?" I can't believe it; my mom might be risking her life just to save me. My eyes are watering; I can't stop the crying.

Svetlana just shrugs and releases me. I quickly ran to my plane, but my mom grabbed me before making it there. "Just let her go, okay? She's not worth anything to unleash wrath." My mom and I just watched the Chaos Pirate escape, also seeing the rest of her allies fleeing with her. "I'm just glad you're...almost okay." She looks at my bleeding arm, and back at me. "Head inside, sweetie. I'll take you to the local doctor the moment you're done changing."

She saw my crying face. I can't believe I'm still crying after all of this. "Mom," I kept looking down at my shoes, not knowing what to say, "...thank you for saving me, but not just this time. Thanks for all the times you've been there. I'm not a lonely gunner, but I want to be there for my friends." I did nothing but stand there. My voice was so shaky, that I can't even speak clearly. My mom knew what I said, and she hugged me tightly.

"Never forget, I'm still here for you, my son. I love you, and I will never let you go." She wipes away my tears and kisses me on the forehead. "I'll give you some time to get ready. Don't rush yourself, okay? The doctor's visit can wait." I nod at her, walking inside the country house. I just plop myself onto the couch, taking a nap.

I'm just glad to be home for a while. But...was I forgetting something...?


End file.
